Washburn University Institutional Repository

Report of a delegate to the Rural Housing Alliance. Uncertain connection to Fletcher project

Hackett, Paul

Rural Housing Alliance

RURAL HOUSING ALLIANCE .:: DELEGATE'S REPORT 
October 15, 1970 
TO : Those concerned about rural housing poverty problems 
FROM: Rev . Paul Hackett, delegate to the Fifth Annual Membership Meeting , 
Rural Housing Alliance, held October 4-6, 1970, Riverhead, New York 
A housing famine exists in America and particularly in rural America . For five 
years now the Rural Housing Alliance has been working to expose these needs 
to public scrutiny and hopefully to raise the priority in the nation to solve 
these pressing problems . 
Around 200 persons met in Riverside, New York for a two - day annual meeting at 
the site of a self- help housing project . The project staff had looked forward 
for three years to the coming of the national meeting and surv i ved the shock 
during the meeting of their woman bookkeeper being murdered . The conferees 
somehow managed to pull together and focus in on the rapidly expanding role 
of the RHA in our nation . 
RHA has a staff of over 30 persons who are funded by the Office of Economic 
Opportunity, the Ford Foundation , and a few other sources . RHA has extensive 
li t erature and these can be purchased by writing to "Rural Housing Alliance , 
Dupont Circle Building, 1346 Connecti cut Ave . N. W. , Washington , D. C., 20036 . " 
I'll only give titles of wor k roles that the RHA is working on : a national 
rural housing conference , a research center , a revolving loan fund , technical 
assistance, a migrant housing section, a Volunteers in Service Housing Averica 
(VISHA) in the south ( so far), encouraging the format i on of the "Nati onal 
Rural Housing Coalition" (NRHC) in early 1970, a new HUD- USDA Rur al Housing 
Task Force, legislation proposed, and guidance to other "ad hoc " national 
housing groups which are springing up such as the National Tenants Organization, 
the Urban Coalition, and the National Association of Nonprofit Housing 
Organizations (NANHO) . Full explanations of these programs can be obtained 
by writing to RHA . Low income persons may join for $1 . 00 annual dues . 
There was strong interest expressed in our Washington State Low Income Housing 
Coalition . In fact a North Dakota editor , chairman of one of the workshops 
asked me to present to the entire membership our story at the concluding 
session of t he Annual meeting . I showed our "roots and tree " idea . I 
believe interest was high because che chairman , Clay L. Cochran in his annual 
message said at the outset of the meeting . "How do we begin to create the 
institutional resources at t he state or regional level which can both serve 
to speak for rural interest and through which skills i n the utilization of 
federal housing program ban be i mproved ?" 
Key to me in meeting the persons who are spearhead i ng the national program. 
For instance Sharlene Belanger and Jack Hernandez were there . Also Mike 
Cardinas , the director of the Napa County California self- help project . One 
speaker urged clustering small towns together to f orm a "community" which can 
then seek to wo-nk together to solve its housing problems . On the church scene , 
Rev. Robert Johnson, of the National Council of Churches , was there . He is 
also vice- chairman of the NRHC referred to above. Also there was Pat Miller 
who is pulling together a voice in t hree states of t he Navajho Indians . A Pat 
Gish of a Housing Development Corporation funded by OEO encouraged low- income 
involvement and also a broader base than that sayi ng that "if there isn't 
enough "establishment type" persons on proposals t hey get voted down . 11 
Just off the press is a book (with photographs) called "Pieces and Scraps 11 
for $2 . 50 which includes many mentions of migrant housing in Washington State . 
Wrd.te to RHA for this book. 
__ __... _____ _ 
.. 
RURAL HOUSING ALLIANCE NATIONAL ANNUAL MEETI NG - - - DELEGATES REPORT Page 2 
Stressed at several of the sessions was the concept of seeking to place 
housing aides from the low income to serve on all decision making boards 
with regard to housing . This can help prevent misfiring of programs and 
enable grassroots participation in the planning and program stages . 
A source mentioned for funds was the National Association of Conmunity 
Development . 
Over and over again the theme was expressed that the federal government is 
moving toward regional administration . This would mean a heightening of 
the regional offices and a lessening of the role of the federal government 
"from t he east" . 
Also state Offices of Economic Opportunity should be looked to for help 
in organizing, prograrruning, local action , and funding . The two words used 
quite often were "clout" which means the power or effect that a group uses, 
and "bread" which an organization uses which is commonly known as money . 
RHA has over 800 members and hence is listened to by Congress . However it 
was pointed out in the smoking room that this number is actually small and 
that the size should grow . 
One national leader gave me a warning which I think we all had better 
remember . "Don't be f unded by someone or a government agency who might 
give bread one year (which gets one dependent like a bear in Yellowstone) 
and then suffer when that person or agency cuts off the supply of bread 
which effectively kills the effort." 
Regarding the "yes" and "no " aspec ts of lobbying by a group our attention 
was called privately to the problems the Sierra Club has encountered i n this 
regard . The NRHC is political and hence has not sought its tax- exempt status . 
'fhere are some ways in which OEO persons however can take part in this as 
long as funds are not expended and as long as they are off hours of the 
employees . 
Senators referred to often were Goodell and McGovern , and a candidate Ottinger 
from NY.:s.ta·t::e,:.M!Ol<e . 
The Ford Foundation has various grants and they can be contacted by writing 
Mrs . Jane Mavity , E. 43rd . Ford Foundation , NY,NY, 573- 5000. 
Also the Foundation for Cooperative Housing can help provide staff if one 
has the bread . Write Dr . E. S. Sessions, 1012 - 14th St . N. W. , Wash . D, C. 
20005 . Phone 202- 737 - 3411 . 
The editor referred to above is "Harlan Severson, 1201 Monte Drove, Mandan , 
North Dakota , 58554 . " 
The two- day meeting was exhausting yet fulfilling and encouraging in seeing 
wha is beginning to boil on the national level. 
May I close by thanking the members of the Coali tion for naming me a delegate 
to the meeting and closing with a couple of personal "happenings " on the trip . 
My check book turned up missing in Long Island . A search of plane seats and 
hotel stops resulted in a "find" in my room in a Boston Hotel. And at the 
O'Hare Airport at ten p . m. I came on a small group getting autographs. 
Drawing near I had the opportunity to talk with H. H. Humphre y for about twenty 
minutes . • . including his voicing the need fo r adequate housing in America . 
PAUL HACKETT 


English

Report

Forwards 8/0/69 Dubinsky to AF. Original AF took home from DOL

Dubinsky, Irwin

Community Action Pittsburgh, Inc.

Fletcher

Correspondence

AF proposes that Nixon use the Small Business Administration and Office of Economic Opportunity, as president, to increase opportunities for potential minority business oweners

Office of the President-Elect

Ehrlichman, John

Forwards 1971/2/0 Seattle Building and Construction Trades Council Options Paper for discussion same date

Moskow, Michael H.

AF has accepted a debate invitation; Cherberg hasn't

Seattle Times

Fletcher Accepts Bid to Debate

Crowther sends AF some details on the Pittsburgh Plan which he notes raise questions. The most important of these is that contractors may count hours of training of minority apprentices on the manning tables, which the RPP and Washington Plans don't let them do

Crowther, Nelson I., Jr.

"Pasco city councilman Art Fletcher, a 6-foot-4 Negro who was backed by the Evans camp, was leading speed-boat driver Bill Muncey of Seattle more than 2-1 for the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor. The winner will face John A. Cherberg, Democrat serving his third term, in November.

Not a member yet

Report

Correspondence

Correspondence

Correspondence

Correspondence

Fletcher Accepts Bid to Debate

Correspondence

O'Connell to Face Evans

Fact Sheet

Notes

576

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